Building the Bridge Between Group Therapy and Home Life

• Talk about what was done during group therapy without overwhelming your child with questions.

• Use songs at home during daily routines (getting ready for school, getting dressed, eating, etc.). Phrases and chunks of language from songs can be an effective way to connect, increase attempts at communication and build language.

• Use group member names (and photos, if permission is given) at home to encourage children to talk about them away from the session.

• Honor any activities and moments of the session that were meaningful to your child.

• Do an activity at home that your child enjoyed during the group session. Model language to request, comment, ask for assistance or share joy. For example: I need it, Look at that, Help me, or I like this!

• Group therapy can be overwhelming for some children, so be sure to provide your child with appropriate sensory supports (such as less verbal input, headphones or calming sensory activities) before, during and after the session. Provide your child with ways to communicate these needs via signs, communication boards or AAC devices. All modes of communication are valid and should be honored.

• Observe your child at home and provide opportunities to initiate communication about the session. Sometimes magical moments happen when we decrease language input and simply observe the child without expectation.

• For more tips, ask the speech-language pathologist running the group the best ways to support your child at home.

Learn more at www.truecolorsspeechtherapy.com.